My Research Strategy

Always going backwards that's me, always back to the old (modern) favourites. Therefore I've realised, and not before bloody time, that this IS my research: I am probably doomed to recapitulate the same stuff over and over but slightly differently (and in slightly different media) forever, and when I finally get to build a house for us, I shall discorporate with the effort (see below post). Oh well, if the ideas are worthwhile that can't be a bad thing, even if they are now rather out of favour. Mankind doesn't change that much no matter how much it thinks it might. So, there you have it: when you read my research proposal it's basically; the history of good ideas in architecture that weren't (but are).
How did I discover this was what I was doing? Well I came across a lovely piece on Chandigarh by Peter Davey. This seemed such an unlikely conjugation I flattered myself in finding it. It's charm came from the circumstances; Peter being in Chandigarh and clearly wanting to be polite to the many Indian notaries who understood Corbu's snakes, turtles, cows, donkeys and meandering fish, and 'got' how it was all put together whilst he was madly sceptical about the ensemble himself, so Davey had to prove himself most adept at betraying his own prejudices (that L-C was beastly and impervious (amongst other things) to drips) in their midst; and he was very good at it; a tribute to his own non beastliness in fact. It was full of, 'well perhaps and perhaps not' stuff.
Indeed we have to ask ourselves how exactly do those capitol buildings (above) relate to the sacred Himalayas that are actually so far away in the distance, but perhaps I ALSO now have to revisit Davey himself. Being somebody who had a go at him long ago for managing a boring organ like the Architectural Review for so long, now I feel a twinge of revision. To my friends at the AR he's almost mythological, and now not so well, so I have all grounds to change my mind. And anybody, anybody who took six pints to interview somebody over lunch should really get the benefit of the doubt in these sad (coffee orientated) days.
Once again, we are forced to change our minds. Similarly I've just read a rather good dissertation outlining how we are all going to hell in a handbag with regard to city food supply. The answer, to all who bother to look, and once more NOT changing one's mind about good ideas, is probably a Radiant one. Let Starbucks stick that up their Unite d'habitation.